How Can Husbands Handle Their Wives’ Pregnancy Cravings?

Pregnancy, that beautiful time in a woman’s life when we experience our bodies doing some amazing things; we are growing life inside of us! For those of us who have had babies, we know that ‘’magical’’ isn’t the best descriptor; we crave for a variety of foods and become we pretty weird with it.

A woman’s body goes through some incredible changes in a very short span of time.

Stretch marks are no fun, but it’s really the internal changes that are the weirdest. We swing from mood to mood like Tarzan on a vine and many women experience crippling nausea for at least the first three months if not longer. We get tired, achy and start to waddle.

Perhaps the strangest phenomenon of all is the pregnancy cravings and aversions for food. Throughout it all, our poor husbands have to take care of us and satisfy our cravings.

According to Christiana Njoku, LPC:

Women’s cravings during pregnancy vary from woman to woman and stage by stage.

But, the question here is when do pregnancy cravings start? It is noted that morning sickness and pregnancy cravings appear at the same time, usually the first 3-8 weeks of pregnancy.

Now, for most women, pregnancy cravings fall into four categories – sweet, spicy, salty, and sour. Nearly, 50-90% of U.S. women experience weird pregnancy cravings.

So, how to make a man understand pregnancy and the common pregnancy cravings that comes with it?

My own experience 

When I was pregnant with my son, early on I had wanted hydrating foods.

Thankfully, it was June so my husband constantly had to bring home watermelon and cucumbers on his way home from work. They were the only foods that would calm my nausea (no morning sickness, thank God). About two months in, for two weeks, I could only eat macaroni and cheese.

The pregnancy cravings changed constantly and would shift from wanting cinnamon everything one day to chocolate milk the next; the third trimester it was pot roast in a big way.

Fortunately, I wasn’t one of those women who wanted the strange food combinations (like cream cheese and pickles or hot sauce on vanilla ice cream) or pica (the strong craving for non-edibles like ice, chalk, or dirt) and my husband would make sure I got what I wanted because sometimes nausea would be so bad that whatever I was craving would be the only thing I would eat that day.

So, what can husbands do? How can they deal with their pregnant wives?

The best thing for a husband to do when their wife is pregnant and having a craving or aversion is to find a way to be accommodating. 

Here how to deal with your pregnant wife:

Be flexible

The best course of action is to be flexible.

You will get that call on your way home from work for a McDonald’s milkshake or get woken up in the middle of the night to run to Walmart for some fruit salad and Marshmallow Fluff.

Take the whole thing in stride because things change in a blink.

Chances are you’ll develop some sympathy symptoms – including food cravings of your own (my husband wanted Sour Patch Kids pretty much the whole pregnancy).

Perhaps the more difficult symptom to deal with is food aversions. I can’t recall having any myself (which probably explains why I gained 40lbs.), but many women do – especially in the first trimester. Husbands, be patient here because chances are any cooking of meat/fish/onions/cruciferous veggies/fry oil/eggs will send your wife sprinting towards the bathroom. It can make going out hard and husband being mean during pregnancy will not help. A close friend developed an aversion to Buffalo Wild Wings, so it was no more hockey games there for a while.

Pregnancy creates a supernatural sense of smell. The odour of a diesel engine half a mile ahead of you in the car can make her stomach turn. The worst thing is, we don’t know we have an aversion to something until we come in contact with it.

Be patient and understanding

Dealing with your pregnant wife involves being patient, flexible, and giving.

Remember that it is all worth it, and after the chaos of having a new baby settles down, you and your wife can have a good laugh at her penchant for bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers.

Christiana Njoku highlights that:

For men, you need a lot of patience and understanding to go through the period of pregnancy cravings; otherwise, you can get really frustrated.

Constantly tell her she’s beautiful and that you love her

Men, know that your wife is undergoing some serious body transformations during her pregnancy. Add to it, all the morning sickness, nausea and cravings. Being pregnant is not easy for her and she needs all your support and love. Reassure her that you think she’s beautiful and that you love her a lot. Repeat these affirmations to her as much as you can so she knows you care.

Also, there are few other women who have no pregnancy cravings. But, there is nothing to worry about such a condition at all. It is said that pregnancy cravings occur due to the deficiency of certain mineral or vitamins during pregnancy.

Consider yourself blessed if your wife happens to be the lucky few!

Continue exploring this topic

Talk to our Marriage.com AI Relationship Coach

Chat with me, ask questions and get help

Start Chatting

Marriage.com AI: Your Relationship Guide

Talk through what's on your mind.

Automated

Hi, I'm your relationship guide. What's on your mind?

YOU COULD START WITH

How can husbands manage wives' pregnancy cravings?

What are some tips for handling pregnancy cravings?

AI guidance only - not therapy. In crisis? Call a helpline or Find a Therapist

Terms

Marriage.com Editorial Team Relationship & Marriage Advice

The Marriage.com Editorial Team is a group of experienced relationship writers, experts, and mental health professionals. We provide practical and research-backed advice on relationships. Our content is thoroughly reviewed by experts... Read more to ensure that we offer high-quality and reliable relationship advice. Read less

Marriage.com Assessment

How Healthy Are Your Family Dynamics Quiz

Reviewed byJennifer Schulz, LCSW

Family dynamics are at the heart of how we experience love, safety, and belonging. They shape the way we communicate, handle stress, and connect with one another. Often, we don’t fully notice these patterns until tension or distance starts to a...

Questions: 20 | Last updated: Jan 19, 2026

Sample Question

When a disagreement happens in your family, what’s most likely to follow?

We tend to argue or avoid each other for a while

Things feel tense, but eventually we move on without talking it through

Someone tries to lighten the mood or shift focus to happier things.

Older family members step in to mediate or share advice

Take the Quiz Now